To ask if you don't wear a mask - why?

[FrostyChocolateMilkshake]

Had a gin or two, and reflecting on my day whilst watching shit films on Netflix.

Been food shopping to Morrisons today. Saw a handful of people not wearing masks, nor a lanyard indicating they are exempt.

They might have had their own legitimate reasons for not wearing a mask. But then again...they might not!

So...on an anonymous forum, I would like to ask...if you don't wear a mask, why do you choose not to?

FWIW I don't mean those of you who are exempt for medical reasons. Just those of you who simply don't want to wear one, I'm curious why.

P.S please don't shout at me for creating a covid-related thread on here!

People wearing it under their noses are a disgrace tbh. Even dogs learn basic stuff faster! It's been a year fgs

I've not been sick since we started back last summer....so something is keeping those little cold and flu germs away.
Doctors where my family is said recently that the flu is absolutely minimal this season thanks to proper hygiene and maks. Well they have bird flu there now, but no normal flu🙈

They’re compulsory at my work but they let me wear a visor because I suffer from:
claustrophobia
severe rhinitis - basically my nose is always blocked
and they trigger migraines

Wish I wasn’t such a feeble snowflake but that’s not in my control. I had a panic attack when I had to go to the hospital in the summer and wear a mask. The doctor couldn’t take my blood pressure to see if I needed to be admitted for IV antibiotics.

Are we really doing this? Again? I know lockdown is boring but...

Find it really upsetting when people get all self righteous about mask wearing. @WonkyCactus “Funny how the rest of us manage to breathe just fine while wearing our masks properly... hmm”

I literally have a deformed/inflamed nose which makes it hard to breathe through at the best of times! Just because you find it easy and don’t have a disability doesn’t mean others are the same.

You can't chose to not wear a mask. The only people not wearing a mask are those who are medically exempt.

Doctors don’t provide exemption letters/certificates so everyone who you see not wearing a mask has self-certified.

This is the reason why some people get all wound up when they come across maskless individuals. Lanyard or no lanyard.

My DH doesn’t wear a mask. He has had numerous operations on his nose and doesn’t breathe through it. He needs to take deep breaths through his mouth when he is talking (to understand why, try holding your nose and saying a long sentence).
He wears a lanyard - ordered on-line.
He hasn’t had a problem with others (yet). I like to think it’s because people aren’t judgemental... I think more likely it’s something to do with him being a big bloke...

@lotuu op specifically talks about people who choose not to wear mask, not the ones who cannot.

If masks don't work why does the nhs use them? Saw a patient not long ago who immediately after appointment turned out to be covid positive. Us staff had been near his maskless face (part of procedure they weren't a mask avoider) and we were told we were wearing ppe so no concerns (ppe was standard thin surgical mask).

[quote SchrodingersImmigrant]@lotuu op specifically talks about people who choose not to wear mask, not the ones who cannot.[/quote]
Everyone who doesn’t wear a mask has self-certified. That is the problem. (See my post above)

I have rhinitis but I still wear a mask. It causes me to start coughing tho so ppl think I’ve got the rona!!

Everyone who doesn’t wear a mask has self-certified. That is the problem. (See my post above)

I agree. System very much let vulnerable people down by not providing exemption proof to genuine exemptions, like it's standard elsewhere...

Thanks for all the responses. I didnt realise that if you're exempt you're not required to wear a lanyard. Learn something new every day!

Lotuu - cover your nose and breath through your mouth?

@vodkaredbullgirl cheers for the biccy, however in my defence I didn't realise there are already a million threads asking this question. I've not seen one otherwise I wouldn't have posted. Ta for the info though 👍

@Sparklingbrook

Are we really doing this? Again? I know lockdown is boring but...

Every day is groundhog day!

@UsedUpUsername

They don’t work. I only wear them to make others feel comfortable.

What are you talking about they don't work? Did you read this on Facebook?

It really is when threads like this keep popping up @FrostyChocolateMilkshake.

@Queenfreak I would never challenge someone on why they aren't wearing a mask.

@Dotinthecity

Seriously are you joking!!! I’m 43 and been left debilitated in heart medication and I have lung damage from covid!!!!

The ones we wear at work (gp surgery) have three layers and are pretty efficient at keeping bugs away. I used to wear a fabric one until I read (from a study) that they let quite a few droplets in. In any case they must do some good or medical staff outside hospitals would not wear one.

@Sparklingbrook in my somewhat feeble defence I haven't seen any other thread asking this particular question. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted!

[quote FrostyChocolateMilkshake]@Sparklingbrook in my somewhat feeble defence I haven't seen any other thread asking this particular question. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted![/quote]
They usually end in a bunfight, so we'll see how this one goes...

Would you wear it under your nose in a checklist, doctors surgery or hospital?

This is literally how my doctor wears them. She’s amazing though so I don’t care

I'm sure once the pandemic is over, there'll be a special study about how random Mumsnetters knew more about the science behind masks than the WHO and the medical profession since time immemorial. It could be combined with another study as to any connection between the sheer number of "exempt" people in the UK compared to, well, almost anywhere else and the fact that the UK's figures are so much worse than anywhere else.

*when she’s not doing an actual procedure, of course ... should clarify this